One Grand Uchiha Mess
by ChocolateBunnyChan
Summary: You know what people say about assumptions, right? And boy has Kagome landed herself in a mess. Or rather an Uchiha mess! If only these obtuse ninjas would actually listen to her for a minute! Set in the start of Naruto Shippuden.
1. Chapter 1

**You know the old saying: Assumption- makes an ass out of u and me.**

**Let's take that to the extreme shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or Naruto**

"Damn it Kabuto! Bring him _back_!" Orochimaru howled at the medic nin as Sasuke Uchiha fled the Sound.

He had been using experimental drugs on the boy when the boy had an adverse reaction, going berserk and fled.

"Hai, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto nodded as he made to head in the direction the Uchiha had fled.

!~!

Sasuke was currently not in his right state of mind in the least, his limbs were on fire and only one thought possessed him: run.

His eyes rolled back into his head as everything went dark.

!~!

Every muscle of her body was sore beyond belief as she wearily made her way towards the Bone-eaters Well. The Inu-Taichi had gotten into a very serious scrape with a lizard youkai and Kagome needed to go home to gather the much needed supplies.

Letting herself relax a bit Kagome hoisted herself over the well's rim, so ready to go home and sleep.

Too bad nothing ever goes the way Kagome Higurashi plans…

'! I can't breathe! Water!' were the first coherent thoughts that graced Kagome Higurashi's mind when she emerged from the well's magic. Indeed, the Bone-Eater's well was flooded full of ice-cold water.

Realizing that her yellow backpack was weighing her down Kagome slipped out of it before heading for the surface.

After gulping a few large mouthfuls of the precious air Kagome realized that she was not in a well of any sort. No, this seemed to be a small pond or something similar!

Dragging herself onto the muddy bank Kagome did her best to ignore the disgusting, slimy feel of the deluged soil beneath her bruised and cut up legs.

Shivering from the forest air that seemed 10 degrees colder due to her soaked state Kagome glanced around at her new surroundings. She couldn't make head or tails of this place, as there was nothing like this pond in InuYasha's forest…

Giving the forest another glance, Kagome spotted something she had missed the first time around: a pile of white cloth.

Grudgingly getting to her feet Kagome slowly walked over to the suspicious pile.

A small breeze prompted the miko to pick up the white haori.

Scanning her surroundings for any potential threats with her miko abilities the girl swiftly stripped out of her soaking shirt before slipping on the haori that was several sizes too large for her.

No sooner had she placed on the long white haori did Kagome spot the slightest bit of movement below her.

A little boy, no older than two or three years old, lay tangled in the oversized masses of dark fabric.

Kagome immediately searched the forest with her eyes looking for whomever the child belonged to. She saw nothing.

The child must have been sick she realized as she took in the child's waxy appearance. Shallow, raspy breaths could be heard as the boy weakly struggled to breathe.

"Oh, you poor thing." She muttered at the injustice of it all. It wasn't uncommon for diseased infants to be abandoned by superstitious parents who were ignorant of how disease was spread.

If only her bag was not currently situated at the bottom of the small pond behind her, otherwise Kagome would have tried to help the dieing boy. All she could do was offer some small comfort in what seemed to be the last few minutes of the infant's short life.

Wide curious coal-colored eyes stared at Kagome before asking in a weak voice, "Okaa-san?"

Kagome's heartstrings were pulled by the faint hope that laced the boy's voice.

"You come back?" Kagome felt like the muddy sludge that covered her legs. He thought that she was his mother, probably the very person who had abandoned him to die. That she had come back for him.

Making her choice Kagome smiled at the boy, nodding as she reached to run her fingers through the boy's hair. She was determined to make the child feel loved before he passed on to the next world, even if it was a lie.

~!~

The medic nin could scarcely believe his eyes as he spotted his target by a small trickling brook. He had followed Orochimaru's unique chakra signature that was imbued in the cured seal. The young man's entire appearance seemed to have been altered the sadistic medic concluded as he looked at the now 'female Sasuke'.

"There you are, Sasuke-kun… Or should I say 'Chan'?"

The medic watched as 'Sasuke' gave a startled flinch as 'she' clutched her oversized pants and waist wrap to her chest.

~ Kag POV~

Kagome's heart nearly leapt out of her chest in shock when she heard a voice call out.

Instinctively she held the tiny boy she had swaddled into the clothing to her chest defensively.

Glancing up into the tree line she spotted a white/silver haired man standing on a branch. Who was he? She didn't like the way his gaze was travelling around her body.

~Kabuto POV~

Kabuto internally frowned when the Uchiha merely stared at him like a deer caught in the path of a fire jutsu.

The drug seemed to have had a severe effect on the Uchiha's mind

"Don't be like that, Sasuke-kun. Orochimaru-sama is concerned about you…" Kabuto tsked as though he was scolding a small child.

"I-I'm sorry, you've got the wrong person." The female Sasuke backed up a few steps trying to keep out of his reach.

"No, please! Stay away from me!" 'Sasuke' pleaded.

Kabuto couldn't keep the deranged chuckle from his lips, he liked this behavior coming from the Uchiha! So much better than the arrogant prick!

Kabuto let out a hiss of pain when 'Sasuke' held out an arm as though to stop him. He had run into something!

Narrowing his eyes in contempt at the Uchiha, Kabuto "Very well, Sasuke-chan… I'll go for now. Lord Orchimaru will send out others to come collect you."

Now feeling far more disturbed Kagome figured it was best that she keep on moving, lest that freak come back! Slightly trembling from the exertion of using so much of her powers (especially since she hadn't eaten or rested since before the run in with the lizard youkai yesterday). She was happy that her powers had repelled the man, she hadn't been sure if they would work since he was a human.

A few hours later Kagome and the strange child had been able to catch a ride with an elderly farmer and his wife. They had told her that they were on their way to a city called 'Konohagakure' to sell their crops. Of course the name meant nothing to the stranded Miko so she had rephrased her question to, "Is there a Doctor or a Hospital there?"

"Aye, but we be a good two 'er so day's ride, young lady. Yer boy gonna be able to hold out that long?" The farmer's wife admitted to Kagome as she looked at the ill toddler.

!~#! **The next day**

Kagome sat patiently in the back with the crops while she bounced the boy on her knee a bit, trying to keep him from crying.

The boy made fussing noises as he rubbed at his eyes with his little fists. "Hey, don't do that. Rubbing them just makes it worse, sweetie." She pulled the boy's arms away much to his protest.

She nearly screamed when she looked at his eyes. They were red, not just from rubbing at them but his iris was blood red. Was this part of the child's illness? Were his eyes bleeding internally? Would he go blind?

"Is there anyway we can go faster? He seems to be getting worse!" Kagome stated as she turned towards the farmer and his wife.

The elderly farmer gave a small nod before making a clicking sound under his tongue urging the old mare to move with haste.

!~!~

Neji Hyuuga scowled as Lee had decided to give some poor traveler a personal youth-filled tour of the entire village.

Neji watched with bored eyes as an old cart pulled by an equally old horse trotted up to the gates entrance. There were three people on the cart that the Hyuuga could see; it was obvious that these were merely civilians so there was no need to waste his Byakuugan.

The old man pointed in his direction, apparently directing the woman in the back of the wagon towards him.

The woman on the wagon gave a swift nod before getting off of the wagon in all haste.

"Please!" The frantic young woman ran towards him with a bundle clutched to her chest as she pleaded, "I was told there was a hospital here! I need a doctor, he's very ill!"

Glancing at the bundle in the young woman's arms, Neji realized it was a baby. A very sick one at that if the woman's panic was to be believed.

_Damn, where was Lee when you needed him? _

"Hang on, we're almost there." He informed the young 'mother' as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop with the woman in his arms.

The stoic Hyuuga's blood ran cold when he glanced at the ill child who had become uncovered a bit during his last leap.

Blood-red eyes with black commas stared up at him from the swaddling. The Sharingan. This woman had a child with Uchiha blood! Scowling, the Hyuuga knew this needed to be reported ASAP.

No sooner had he placed the woman down, Neji was no his way to inform the Hokage.

~!~

Turning to thank the young man who had brought her Kagome was surprised to find no one there. Where had he gone?

Shaking her head Kagome hurried into the hospital determined to seek treatment for the child.

Kagome sighed in relief as the ill little boy was taken from her, too caught up in her relief to realize that people were staring at her filthy mismatched clothes.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. You need to come with me." An authoritative voice told her as a hand grasped onto her shoulder. A strange woman wearing some sort of militaristic uniform and an animal mask stood next to the miko.

"Huh? What?" Had she done something wrong? She couldn't imagine for the life of her what she had done…

Reluctantly she allowed the strange animal masked woman lead her away. The last thing Kagome remembered was a sharp pain at the base of her neck as she blacked out.

!~!~

When Kagome woke up she found herself strapped to a metal chair with thick leather restraints.

She could only watch apprehensively as tall man wearing a black bandana on his head approached with a syringe filled with some unknown liquid.

A strange, but not entirely unpleasant tingle spread through her left arm as the needle's plunger went down.

She felt the sensation spread slowly through her body like a cold wave. Kagome felt her anxiety slowly disappear and was replaced by a strange feeling of detached calmness.

She felt like smiling. Acting on the impromptu impulse the girl smiled as widely as she could. Not finding it within herself to realize that she must look like a fool.

"You're gonna tell me everything I want to know, got it?" The man snarled out in a deep voice that distantly reminded Kagome of that American movie she had once seen. What was it called again? Ah! Batman! She felt pleased at remembering the movie's name.

Kagome dazedly nodded her head, sure she'd tell them what they wanted to know. Provided that she didn't fall asleep or vomit…

The heavily scarred man glared at her, speaking in his rough voice, "What is your name?"

"Higurashi, Kagome." For some reason she thought the way the light reflected from his strange metal-plated bandana was simply fascinating…

"How old are you?"

Kagome gave her automatic response, "19."

"What is your son's name?"

Her son? Oh they must have been referring to Shippo-chan, how _strange_ that these people knew about him.

The black haired child she had found never once crossed Kagome's drugged mind.

"Shippo…" she said in a slightly slurred voice.

"Who is his father?"

Shippo's father? The fox-pelt that the thunder-brother Manten had worn? She didn't know his name, she had never asked Shippo about his father.

"I … Don't know…" Kagome admitted to the man.

"Is his name Uchiha Itachi?" The man asked again, though much more pointedly this time.

Kagome could only shrug, "I don't know…"

The man gave her a hard, dubious glare before asking, "Did he pay you to have the boy?"

Had she been paid to keep Shippo with her? How dare these people assume that a _human_ woman like herself could only care for a _demon_ child if she had been paid a generous fee!

Righteous anger filled her eyes at what she thought she had been asked, "How dare you even ask me that! Just what kind of person do you take me for Mr. Interrogator? I love Shippo! I would never allow myself to be paid to take care of him!"

The man seemed slightly taken aback by the sudden outburst, "… I see… What aptitudes does your son possess?"

Kagome frowned, _aptitudes_? Did these people think that Shippo had ever taken any standardized tests from 500 years in the future?

The man must have seen the confusion she felt as he gruffly re-worded the question, "Skills Miss Higurashi, what skills does the boy possess? Ninjutsu?"

"Well, let's see… Oh! He loves to draw! He has a vivid imagination and loves to tell people stories that he's made up." Looking up she saw that the man was becoming increasingly agitated.

She didn't see why though, she was telling him everything she knew! Maybe he was looking for something else. Kagome recalled the word he had used at the end of the sentence, ninjutsu. Wasn't that ninja magic or something like that?

"Why in the world do you think he would know ninja magic? He's too small and young to know anything major like that." Kagome asked, now feeling even more confused than before.

Apparently not the right answer, again. "What can he do?"

"Like tricks? Well… he can do a few illusions. But he can't hold them for very long." She supplied as her mind feed her pictures of the little kit playing with the toy top that he sometimes defended himself with, and the imperfect transformations he used.

That answer seemed to please the man she realized as his agitation went down slightly, "Did you teach him?"

"Oh gosh, no. I can't do them, let alone teach him." Kagome stated with a small laugh, unable to imagine how terribly silly she would look if she had tried to teach the young demon despite being completely unable to perform what she taught.

Her interrogator looked like he was about to ask another question when the door to the room opened slightly.

She watched with her dazed blue eyes as the man went out into the hallway, presumably to speak with someone.

She didn't really mind waiting, she just wished that she was not so securely strapped to the metal chair, she wanted to move her arms.

The scared man came into her peripheral vision once more.

"Has your son inherited the Sharingan Kekkai Genkai?"

"…Wha?" Kagome couldn't even comprehend what the man had just asked her.

The man growled at her and she got the vaguest feeling that he wanted to hit her, "His eyes woman! What about his eyes! Did he inherit his father's eyes?"

Kagome strained to recall if she had ever learnt the dead fox demon's eye color. _Why_ was this so _important_ to these people?

Well she certainly knew nothing about Shippo's mother so she couldn't say for certain but it was highly probable that he had inherited his father's eye color.

"I don't know. I guess he did…. How am I supposed to know?" She knew innately that she should be afraid of his rigid stance but she just couldn't bring herself to in her drugged state.

"Have his eyes ever turned red?" Ibiki was beginning to think that Itachi had chosen this woman _because _she was so ignorant. She would never had known how valuable her child was and was so average she would be easily overlooked by ninja.

Red? Shippo was a fox demon of course his eyes could turn red. Nearly all demon's eyes turned red in rage. Man these people knew nothing about demons!

However she had only seen Shippo that angry once.

"Well… They've only turned red once or twice…" Kagome drifted off.

Had she been in her normal state of mind Kagome would have immediately picked up that something wasn't quite right when she answered the last question.

That information caught the attention of all the occupants hidden behind the one-way-mirror in the room. Itachi's child was a prodigy like his father!

/~!

Ino was startled at the toddler's appearance, he looked like a miniature Sasuke! The blonde shook her head at the thought; Itachi and Sasuke were brothers so it was obvious that there would be a similarity!

Ino put on a cheerful face as she entered the room, "Hi there Shippo-chan! My name is Ino-san and I thought you might want some fun stuff to play with!"

Sasuke wasn't sure how to respond to the cheerful blonde woman. His name wasn't Shippo!

The little boy looked longingly at the tiny basket of 'fun stuff', he wanted to play with some toys.

The lady would take it away if he told her she was in the wrong room, the gift was for a 'Shippo-chan' and not him.

Maybe… maybe he could say he was Shippo. He could always say he was sorry for lying later.

Ino wheeled the tray/table that was designed to hang over a bedbound patient's lap next to the hospital bed, in front of the little boy.

"Would you like to draw? Your Okaa-san told me you're pretty good at it! And look here! I've got lots of cool colors for you to use!" Ino displayed the wide array of crayons trying to tempt the little boy.

It worked. The child held out his hands to take the offered crayons and paper.

"So what's your favorite color?"

The boy hesitantly looked up at her before replying, "… Blue."

"Oh, that's a good color! Mine's purple!"

The little boy was fixated on his drawing, this was good, he was starting to open up.

"So how old are you?" 'Shippo' held up three fingers.

"Three? Wow you're a big boy!"

Ino waited a few minutes before launching her next question, "What's your Otou-san like Shippo-chan?"

The little boy made a shrug before looking down at his drawing once again. Otou-san was simply Otou-san. He didn't know how to describe the sullen and awkward man in words.

"Well what about your Okaa-san?" Ino prompted the child.

It was as though the boy had _just now_ realized that he had been separated from the woman as he looked quickly around the room his little eyes searching. Ino could only watch as the little Uchiha started to wail for his mother.

Two floor nurses came to investigate the cry. They had been keeping a sharp ear and eye on the nameless little boy, it was obvious that the child was not in perfect health. However the Konoha Hospital's regulations forbade them from treating the child without a parent or legal guardian's signed consent. And according to the scanty patient chart this child had a mother who was currently detained by the Konohagakure shinobi force.

?/!

Kagome was currently being pushed down some long hall that had many twists and turns. Or at least it felt like it.

She was blindfolded so she could only judge by the motions the wheelchair was pushed with.

Unprepared for the sudden light when the blindfold was removed, she made a sound of pain before covering her eyes.

Her thoughts had become less sluggish and she was starting to become more aware of her surroundings.

Looking around she saw what looked like a hospital lobby. What? Why was she here?

She was not about to be placed further under this strange towns control by being placed in a hospital!

"Hey!" She placed a bare foot on the floor, halting the wheel chair. "You can't do this! You people have no right to keep me here! I am not a citizen so you have no legal authority over me."

A rough hand pushed her back down when she made to stand up.

"Please stay seated ma'am, you need to be checked into the hospital before you can see your son." The white clothed medic explained to the obviously _distraught_ woman. Poor thing…

~!~

**Hokage's Office**

They had judged that the woman was very little threat, or at least in her current sedated state. The interrogation had ended when the young woman began vomiting, it seemed that she had an adverse reaction to the drug.

Tsunade looked sharply up from some paperwork at her interrogation squad, "Well? What did you find out?"

"Oh, Hokage-sama! The little boy is the cutest little thing ever!" "Ahem!"

"S-Sorry Ibiki-san…" Ino blushed at her unprofessional behavior. But it was true!

"She claims not to know Uchiha Itachi, or at least not personally. It's possible that she was placed under genjutsu or he went to her under an illusion." Ibiki reported to his leader in a clear voice.

"Why would Uchiha Itachi choose a woman like her to bear his child? From what this report says she's a civilian, not from any known ninja clan, shows no understanding of shinobi arts, and is well, everything a strong shinobi doesn't look for in a woman…" Tsunade mused as she looked over the initial report that had made her feel justified in placing a warrant for the woman to undergo interrogation.

Anko snorted, "Maybe she's good in bed, that's something any man looks for."

"An S-rank missing nin doesn't make and leave _mistakes_ like this. Especially not Uchiha, Itachi. No, she had to be selected by him for some reason, but what?" The woman frowned unsure of how to best proceed.

"I want to see the medical examination files as soon as possible. For now knowledge of the potential heir of Itachi Uchiha is classified information. I want the woman to be kept under mild sedatives until further notice."

… **Oh, boy. How in the world is she gonna get herself out of this one? Especially since she's unintentionally gotten herself caught up in not one, but two very wrong assumptions…**

**Please review and give me some more (wrong but seemingly plausible) assumptions she could get caught up in!**


	2. Hospital Examinations

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto**

**There will be a good deal of medical terms in this chapter. I've provided a list of definitions at the end of the chapter for your convenience. I **_**am**_** a nursing student afterall, so I've decided to breathe more life into how a hospital really works. Not just the standard cliché: Character is in hospital and decides to escape! That doesn't happen in real life.**

A clunky groan could be heard as the hospital's air conditioning system sputtered to life, spewing out cold blasts of air.

Shivering, Kagome tried in vain to conserve some miniscule amount of warmth, an impossible task as she was currently sitting on a thinly padded examination table wearing nothing but a flimsy paper gown.

She was extremely anxious as to what was going to happen next. It had been at _least_ 15 minutes since the nurse had come in and asked her some basic questions and had taken her vital signs, but she couldn't be sure, as she had no watch…

~!~** Midway through the examination**

There was a small click followed by a bright flash. The measuring stick that had been held next to the scar on her hip was moved away by a nurse.

She had never felt so _violated_ and ashamed of her body in her life. Kagome could barely keep the tears from her eyes and she was sure the doctor and her nurse could see that she was upset, yet they offered no kind words. And anytime the young woman tried to preserve her modesty, they reprimanded her- making the poor girl want to cry even more.

These people were taking pictures of her scars and her most recent wounds from her run in with the lizard youkai back in the feudal era. Not that the miko would ever tell the doctor just what exactly had caused the wound!

The doctor called for the assistant to hold the tape measurer someplace else as she prepared to take yet another photograph.

Kagome flinched as the nurse's hands glanced across her bruised skin in order to hold the tape measure next to another area of interest. These two women had been scrutinizing every aspect of her body for the past hour. _Every aspect_, Kagome winced slightly when the nurse unintentionally caused her to reposition her balance. It hurt to move her legs!

They had decided to perform a PAP smear much to the Miko's protest. She was so sure that if she told them she didn't want to have the procedure done they would have to comply with her wishes! Yet they had merely stated that they were following the orders of the hospital's director and had forced the young woman into the lithotomy position after threatening to sedate her even more.

Mentally shaking herself, Kagome tried to redirect her thoughts from the embarrassing and unpleasant procedure. Kagome was still recovering from whatever had been injected into her a few hours ago during what she could only describe as an interrogation though her memories of the actual event were vague.

She wasn't positive, but she was fairly certain that the Patient Registration Staff down in the Hospital lobby had made her sign paper after paper- or at least she had an image/memory of holding a pen while staring blankly at a pile of papers... It could have been a dream with how fleeting and _blurry_ the memory was! But Kagome knew she now had a patient ID wristband where as she hadn't had one before so it was likely that she had filled out paperwork.

She had no idea what she had been coerced to sign!

And she was pretty sure the staff had known she wasn't in a right state of mind when she had signed!

Weren't there laws protecting people from things like this? Or at least she was sure there were in Tokyo!

There was one final flash before the white cloaked doctor placed the camera on a table, telling the nurse to deliver the device to the proper authorities.

How much longer was she going to be humiliated, she wondered as she wearily eyed the doctor. The professional was currently scribbling away on some sort of medical document, ignoring the quivering, and naked young woman.

Kagome wanted to know what was being written about her. She had some right to information after what these doctors had put her through, right?

Kagome flinched as the doctor's stern professional voice rang out in the bland and bare room, "When was the last time you ate, Miss. Higurashi?"

"… Three days ago…" she admitted in a small voice, she was ashamed by her answer. It implied that she did not take good care of her body.

But how could she possibly tell this doctor that she had lost most of her food supplies during a fight with a lizard youkai in the past where a famine was occurring?

The miko looked down at her blue toes that were beginning to turn an ever so waxy white from the frigid air conditioning, wishing she had socks.

"And the boy?"

Afraid the doctor would charge her with starving a child Kagome immediately answered, "Last night. He ate a few slices of a boiled apple. But he couldn't keep it down."

She had added the last tidbit in hopes that she could provide some information on the small boy's condition.

The doctor gave Kagome a look she couldn't decipher.

"Tell me his symptoms." The doctor ordered.

Wanting to gain something in return for the information Kagome asked, "Could- could I please get dressed first? I'm uncomfortable and freezing."

The woman nodded, handing Kagome a folded hospital robe that had been on a counter next to the examining room's sink.

Kagome narrowed her eyes when the woman made no move to leave the room. Weren't doctors supposed to provide for patients' privacy? Even if the woman had just seen every last inch of her body?

Deciding to ignore the doctor in favor of wearing something warmer Kagome traded the paper gown for the thin cotton gown. She felt immensely better now that she was not nearly as exposed as she had been in the paper gown.

Holding up her end of the agreement Kagome described the symptoms the little boy had, "He was covered in sweat and was burning up with a high fever. He had this strange dark rash that covered most of his body. There were a few times that I honestly think he stopped breathing for a few moments."

A soft knock sounded on the room's door interrupting Kagome before she could describe how the boy's eyes had been red.

Both the medic nin and Miko turned to stare at the young woman who was nervously peeking into the room.

"Forgive the interruption Sensei, but I was wondering if she could come and calm the little boy down."

The white robed woman nodded before standing and giving the nurse orders, "Start an intravenous line with 0.9% normal saline drip STAT. NPO until the dietician can examine her. I need her blood lab results before I can order anything else. Be sure to observe the standing orders placed by the Hokage."

The nurse bowed to her superior as she strode from the room.

The new nameless nurse also bowed to Kagome before fetching a wheelchair for the blue-eyed young woman to sit in.

"Ah, I can walk- I don't need-" Kagome was cut off.

"Sorry, it's a hospital protocol, ma'am." The nurse explained as she helped the reluctant woman into the wheelchair.

"I made a quick call to your doctor to see if we can wait to place your IV so that your son can see you having it done so that it won't be quite as scary. But she said no, so I've got to start an IV now. Do you understand, Miss Higurashi?" The nurse explained as she began feeling Kagome's left arm for a good vein.

Kagome could only shrug, it was clear that these people were going to do whatever they wanted, despite her protests.

"Good. Here we go!" the nurse swabbed the site she wanted with an alcohol swab before inserting the IV starting needle beneath Kagome's skin.

Kagome's pain tolerance had risen in the feudal era. At one point in time Kagome had been deathly afraid of needles. But now that fear was just silly in comparison to the threat of being ripped open by jagged sharp claws, fangs, and swords. What was a little prick to a gaping cut?

At first Kagome felt the distinct taste of salt in her mouth as she watched the nurse flush the line. She watched as the nurse attached a second syringe to the IV line before slowly pushing the contents in. The same detached calmness from earlier was back Kagome instinctively realized as her thoughts became sluggish once again.

She barely even noticed when the taste of salt returned when the nurse flushed the line once more with normal saline.

'I feel… sleepy…' the miko mused as her posture became relaxed.

The only thing that had kept Kagome awake was the slight current of air that was generated as the nurse wheeled her down some nameless hospital corridors. She was freezing and even the slightest draft of air made her feel that much more cold!

In her right state of mind Kagome would have been furious and embarrassed out of her mind if she had realized the effects of the cold temperature on her body. More specifically, her chest. The miko was clothed _only_ in the thin hospital gown, no underwear and no bra… Her nipples had decided to stand out in protest to the cold.

So perhaps it was fortunate that Kagome Higurashi was sedated past the point of self-consciousness…

~!~

The nurse continued to wheel Kagome down a hall on the pediatric wing before stopping in front of a door. The nurse, whose name was unknown to Kagome, knocked gently on the door asking, "May I come in?"

Another woman's voice answered, "Come in."

With that the nurse opened the door and promptly wheeled Kagome in. The woman made a feigned gasp of surprise as she cheerily announced, "And look who I brought Shippo-chan! It's Okaa-san!"

'Shippo-chan?' Kagome thought sluggishly, 'Is this child's name Shippo also? How strange!...'

The sedated woman could not fathom just how wrong the entire situation was as she watched the little boy she had found in the forest perked up at the sight of her and proceeded to scramble off of the hospital bed with all haste.

"Okaa-san! Okaa-san!" 'Shippo-chan' wailed as he ran to her wheelchair, arms reaching for her.

Reduced to her most basic level of personality, the miko merely gave a smile as she reached out for the crying toddler. Hefting the boy into her lap she waited for him to settle comfortably before casting her slightly unfocused eyes on the two nurses.

The one who had wheeled her to this room stood wringing her hands together as she asked, "Would you please hold onto Shippo-chan, Miss Higurashi? We need to start an IV in his hand…"

Kagome could only nod as she let the nurses reposition the child and start prepping for the IV.

She grimaced slightly as the toddler screeched as loud as he possibly could when the needle stuck his hand.

~!~** Hokage's Office**

The Hokage frowned as she looked at the medical files for the two 'refugee' patients she had ordered.

The medical files on the two were very informative to the Hokage.

Both patients showed signs of short-term starvation and malnutrition, the woman more so than the child. Which made perfect sense; mothers are more willing to sacrifice their own health for that of their child.

The polaroid photos hinted at a much darker story. One that supported that the young woman had fled from somewhere. Perhaps she had fled from an abusive brothel, or from another hidden village, or perhaps from her own family. Until the young woman offered up more information, they couldn't be sure.

To Tsunade's expert eyes the scars looked like battle scars though the woman did not posses the physique or muscle mass of a kunoichi. It was possible that the woman had been abused by someone with shinobi training. Ninja-owned brothels were often abusive towards the women who were forced into contracts to the establishments. Or perhaps her home village or town had been under the control of violent bandits or missing nin…

Whatever the case may be, Tsunade knew this young woman was not a warrior of any kind. Of that much she was certain.

But _why_ Uchiha Itachi had chosen _this_ woman to bear his heir was still a mystery.

**Yeah, not a lot happened in this chapter. Just trying to emphasize just how badly the sedatives affect Kagome's ability to reason and function. **

**I know from personal experience just how mellowing/-disorienting sedatives can be.**

**As to why they were taking pics of her wounds and scars is for evidence. Like if they thought she came from some abusive situation they have the evidence that could be taken to court.**

**So what should happen next? I want some abstract ideas, please, not a typical idea like 'have team 7 meet Kagome'. As of right now, Kagome will not really be interacting with team 7 as she is currently confined in the hospital.**

**Med Terms that you might not have known:**

**NPO: No food or liquid by mouth~ in other words no eating or drinking**

**STAT: Right now or immediately**

**Intravenous line/ IV- a small catheter inserted into a vein using a needle. It is used to place medications, IV fluids, ect. directly into the bloodstream.**

**Lithotomy position: when the patient, usually female, is on their back with their legs bent and or placed in stirrups to allow easier examination of female genitalia**

**PAP Smear: a cultured collection of a sample of a woman's cervical cells used to detect abnormalities in the histology( cell makeup), presence of bacterial infections, ect.**

**Cervix:… Look it up on your own if you seriously don't know…**


	3. Hospital Blues

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha

**Hospital Blues**

Kagome could only glare hatefully at the weak and watery miso soup that had been brought up for her from the hospital kitchen. It was supposedly miso soup but it tasted more like instant miso powder added to hot water. And the small bowl of rice was overcooked to the point that it was more mush than rice.

But she grudgingly admitted that at least it was food and that she was even being fed. A few times she had been captive in the Feudal Era her captives had not bothered to feed her. She had once gone four days without food until Inuyasha had rescued her.

Huffing as she ate the mushy rice her thoughts turned to her dog-eared friend. Where was he?

Sighing as she took a sip of water she admitted, 'It's not fair to blame him. Heck, I haven't got the first clue where I am!'

But that still did little to quell the annoyance at her friend.

And perhaps worst of all was that she felt like she was being watched constantly. At times she would catch little blurs of movement out of the corner of her eyes when she would glance out of the window or out towards the hall.

'But why would anyone want to watch me?' she wondered as she shook her head. Maybe she was just becoming paranoid after having spent so long in this room.

"Ka-san! Ka-san!" Kagome had to repress the large groan that wanted to escape her lips, this was a large hospital wasn't it? Surely they had plenty of rooms, right? So why had the little boy she had found been put in hers?

That wasn't to say that she didn't like the boy, she did, but 3 year olds become very annoying after a few days. Even more so when they are confined to one room for an indefinite amount of time. The miko had tried to take the child on a little walk around the floor hall yesterday in hopes of burning off some of his seemingly endless energy. They had only made it 5 feet out of the room before a masked military person appeared out of _nowhere_ and insisted that she and the boy return to their room.

~ **Yesterday~**

"Here Shippo-chan, why don't you stand right here and I'll push you down the hall like a scooter?" Kagome asked the child after she had finally had enough of the boy flushing the toilet respectively. She had already had to stop him from flushing various objects down the porcelain express: a pen that had been dropped by some staff person, some lint he had found God knows where, a bar of soap, and a wash cloth.

She didn't blame the child for attempting to alleviate his boredom, there was absolutely nothing stimulating in the room. She had figured: better the toilet than expensive medical equipment. But she couldn't take it anymore! She did not want to have to stick her hand into potty water in order to fish out the items before they clogged the toilet one more time!

Shippo gleefully stood on the metal feet of the IV pole. "Hold on tight now!" Kagome told him as she gently pushed her IV stand forward, mindful of the tubes that were connected into her arm.

"Wheee!" Shippo whooped with all the enthusiasm of a child riding a shopping cart like a scooter.

Kagome felt some of her aggravation leave her as she opened the door, the walk would do her some good too.

"Faster! Faster!" Shippo pleaded with his 'mother'.

"Hold it right there Higurashi-san." A voice came from right next to her ear.

Yelping Kagome turned to see one of the strange people in animal masks, where the hell had he come from?

Recovering from her shock Kagome decided to play nice, "Is there something you need?"

"You and the child are not permitted to leave your room." Came the stern response of the man.

Maybe she could play the 'cute small child' card, "Can't I take him for a walk? He's so bored. He doesn't even have any toys to play with!"

"Ma'am." The man started before Kagome interrupted him.

"Just to the end of the hall and back?" She begged, "You can even go with us!"

"I wanna ride!" Sasuke whined at the owl-masked person the moment he realized that the man meant to put a stop to their fun, "Don't wanna go back!"

Kagome's temper flared when the man made to grab the IV pole to drag them back to the room, "Hey! You can't do this! Let go!" she demanded as she tried to pry his grip off of the metal.

"There's no rule against wanting to walk!" She cried out indignantly as she glared all she was worth at this masked babysitter.

"Don't you _dare_ close that door." Kagome snarled at owl-mask. The unsaid 'Or what' rang loud and clear from the Anbu as he closed the door in her face. Reluctantly she curbed the obscenities when the little boy looked up imploringly at her.

**~!~Present day**

Kagome sighed she probably shouldn't have gotten so ugly with the masked person, but damn it! She didn't want to stay in this place any longer.

"I wanna go for a walk!" Shippo began to wail as he threw himself on the floor banging his fists and feet up and down. Kagome honestly considered joining him for a moment but decided against it.

They would probably bring her next dose of sedative a bit earlier if she did. Massaging her temples she dearly hoped the owl mask man was still nearby so that he would be forced to listen to the child's screaming too.

The door opened as the pediatric nurse came in, Kagome liked the woman the most out of all the staff she had met so far. She was the only one who actually talked to Kagome. It was professional friendliness, but friendliness all the same.

**!~!~ A few days later!~!~!~**

"Are you serious?!" Kagome looked at the psychologist whom had started seeing her since the 'walk' incident two days ago.

"I'm _not_ going to a rape support group for women! I've never been raped!" She protested loudly.

"I feel that it would help you greatly Higurashi-san, especially since you seem to be showing signs of poor attachment with Shippo-chan." The psychologist stated calmly.

'Poor what?' Kagome had never learned much about child development so she had no idea that the doctor was referring to a caretaker -(usually parental) child bond that is considered important during the first five years of life.

"Whatever, I have no say in the matter. Just…" Kagome started, looking at Shippo for a moment.

The psychologist placed a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder, "Yes, Kagome-san?"

"Could you get Shippo some toys? Or some books? Please?" Kagome needed to give the boy something to do so that he wouldn't be nearly a handful. She hated the fact that she was getting irritated with the child when she knew it wasn't the boy's fault.

!~!~ Konoha Women's Support Group!~!~!~

Kagome could only stare dazedly at the small room in one of the local religious temples near the hospital where the Women's Rape Support group met. She had been sedated a bit before a female whatever-they-were mask wearer had escorted her. She noticed that she hadn't been nearly as sedated as usual.

Her escort was currently hovering around the snack table helping herself to some punch. How the woman's glass kept emptying while the woman's mask never moved was a great mystery to the young woman.

"Are you Higurashi-san?" A kindly looking woman asked Kagome politely.

She nodded.

"We are so happy to have you with us today." The woman told the miko sincerely as she pointed out where the refreshments were and lead Kagome to a circular formation of chairs.

"All right everyone, lets be seated so we can start another meeting of the Konohagakure's Rape Support Group." The women who had been standing around chatting began to take seats.

The spokeswoman continued when everyone had taken a seat, "As some of you may have noticed we have a new face with us tonight, why don't you introduce yourself?"

All eyes turned to Kagome and she felt vaguely uncomfortable. "Uh, hi my name is Kagome."

The women spoke in chorus, "Hi Kagome."

"I don't think I belong here." Kagome stated truthfully as she looked at the other women sitting in the circle. Most seemed to be really… athletic? Or perhaps very in shape, kind of like Sango… Kagome mused.

The other women looked like typical everyday women. But she knew each of these women had been raped, making her feel rather uncomfortable in that she had never been actually raped. She didn't belong here!

The other women stared at the young woman with understanding, it was always the hardest at the first meeting to come to terms with what had happened to you.

"You don't have to share anything with us tonight, Kagome-san." The spokeswoman spoke gently before turning back to the group.

Kagome spent the rest of the evening listening to a civilian woman's tragic tale of how she had been placed under a genjutsu (Kagome simply guessed it was some sort of deep hypnosis spell) for years by an Iwa nin, forced to be his wife until he had been killed on a mission and the genjutsu had ended leaving the poor woman devastated that she had been controlled and used like that.

"I even considered killing myself!" The poor woman sobbed as her neighbor patted her back sympathetically as the rest of the women looked on.

Kagome left the group meeting feeling horrible after hearing the woman's terrible tale, but she had learned a lot. Apparently wherever she was there were ninjas.

'In fact my escort might be one.' Kagome realized as she followed the other woman back to the hospital. How on earth was she going to get away now?

!~!~ Somewhere in Oto!~!~!~

A certain snake sanin stared at his subordinate with cold eyes, "Are you sure, Kabuto?"

"Certain, Lord Orochimaru. The experimental drug has somehow changed Sasuke Uchiha into a feminine state. I am unsure how much the Uchiha has been changed but he seems to have not recognized me." Kabuto reported to his lord, confident in his assessment of the situation.

Lord Orochimaru began to chuckle derisively at the thought of his little pet Uchiha having been brought low in his new predicament.

"What are your orders Lord Orochimaru?"

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

~!~! Somewhere in the Land of Lightning`!~~

Sasori of the desert and his partner Deidara were traveling in the Land of Tea after having connected with one of the many spies Sasori had in his service concerning Konoha.

"Look dana- it's Kisame and Itachi." Deidara pointed out. The puppet master looked up and indeed it was, the two men were currently eating dango at a roadside stall.

"Oi, that dango any good Kisame-san?" Deidara called out to the shark man.

The blue man's eyes flashed in recognition before replying, "Is it such a good idea for all of us to be in one place?"

"Lets compare maps, un. There was nothing where we were." Deidara suggested as he placed an order of dango with the elderly proprietor of the establishment before taking a seat next to the shark nin.

"Belated congratulations, Uchiha-san." Sasori stated as he moved his puppet body to stand before the Uchiha.

The stoic Uchiha could only stare stoically at the puppet master, thankfully his partner seemed just as curious as he was.

"Congratulations on what, Sasori-san? You win something, Itachi?" Kisame asked as he sipped his green tea. It would figure that Itachi would win the lottery or something.

"I just found out something from one of my spies within Konoha. Its customary to congratulate the birth of one's firstborn." Sasori stated, his voice made several octaves deeper by his puppet.

To the Uchiha's credit, he was not the one to do a spit-take, that honor belonged to Kisame.

The blue man pounded on his chest repeatedly trying to cough up the tea he had inhaled as he weakly asked, "What?"

Itachi merely sat as still at a statue, trying to see if he had heard right. _His_ firstborn?

Sharingan eyes flashing dangerously, Itachi could only growl out, "Where did you hear this from?"

The blonde bomber began to laugh, "What's the matter Itachi, did a whore run off and not tell you about your kid, un?"

The Uchiha merely sent a glare at the man before turning back to Sasori and repeating his question.

"There's a woman being held in Konohagakure who claims to have an Uchiha child." Sasori repeated what his spy had told him.

"Kisame, we're leaving." Itachi stated calmly as he stood.

"Gotcha, gotcha." Kisame followed suit as the Uchiha began to walk down the path in the direction of Konohagakure.

"Bye-bye, _Daddy_, un!" Deidara mocked the Uchiha before turning back to his dango. This was rich, the Uchiha a father?

Itachi felt his fists clench in rage as they walked out of sight of the dango stand. He would see about this imposter Uchiha child, and he'd kill the woman stupid enough to spout such a lie!

~!~!~!~!~

Unaware of her newest threat Kagome sat with Shippo, though she was beginning to suspect that the child's name might not be Shippo, playing with a toy wagon.

**Well I hope everyone enjoyed that. Man you guys were baying for Itachi to come in so I gave you guys a little glimpse as a way of saying "sorry I got lost on the road of life".**

**I came up with the rape support group based on something we had to do in nursing school. I had to go to an alcohol anonymous meeting for part of my psychiatric nursing course when we were learning about drugs and addiction. It was very strange sitting there knowing that I didn't belong there and yet the stories I heard about how drinking affected these people's lives really struck a note with me.**

**Plus the more she denies and protests- the more people are less likely to believe poor Kags. **

**Give me more assumptions, people! Please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.**

Kagome sat enraptured by the woman's tale, it was her third meeting at the rape support group. Even though she herself had never been raped she couldn't help but want to share in on a group experience. And being _nearly_ raped _was_ a traumatic feeling.

In the last three meetings she realized that the group did not focus on only rape itself, but also other forms of sexual crimes. Such as the last woman who had just shared that she had been felt up multiple times by her husband's father years ago. The poor woman was finally coming to terms with what had happened decades ago.

Hesitantly she rose her hand, perhaps talking about her near rapes would do her a world of good. The spokeswoman turned to her, "Yes Kagome?"

"I… I want to share…" Kagome decided, these were things that she needed to share in order to help herself, she knew that if she were to ever get over some of the messed up things that had happened to her. Mindful to keep all mentions of youkai out of her tales she began with the first tale. And following the other women's examples: she gave no names.

Kagome failed to notice her guard in the corner perk up.

"…I was caught in some sort of illusion. It was awful- a miniature village, even I was shrunken! He was a sage or something- or at least trying to become one. I don't know."

The tale continued, "I was so close to escaping that illusion when he caught me. I wanted to know what he had done to my best friend. You see normally my friend is really strong but he has a… condition that affects him every once in a while that weakens him greatly.

He picked me up in his hand and squeezed me until I blacked out. I woke up in a hot bath of some sort of sweet smelling stuff with peaches floating in it. It was sooo disgusting! But worst of all, I was naked!" Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes as she recalled the fear and shame she had felt during that particular adventure; the encounter with Tokajin, the Peach Man.

Sobbing now Kagome continued, "If it hadn't been for my best friend saving me and an old monk giving us the means to escape, I don't know _what _would have happened!"

Sure she knew that she would have been eaten by the demonic peach tree, but who knew what else would have happened had Inuyasha not shown up when he had! And if it hadn't been for Sennin, Tokajin's old master turning himself into a bow for her to use…

The woman next to her handed her a much-needed tissue as she sobbed.

On a roll now from the relief of being able to share the most harrowing ordeals without being judged she continued, "And then a few months later my friends and I happened upon a village- only everyone was dead! But it was a trap! The man set off clouds of poison around the house preventing my friends from entering to save me! He used something that paralyzed me, some sort of drug, I couldn't move. I could barely speak."

Steadying her nerves Kagome shared for the first time aloud what had happened between her and Mukotsu of the band of seven, "He dragged me into the house and draped a white sheet around me. He kept saying things like: it wasn't a grand ceremony but it would do."

Kagome stood up and proceeded to mimic the little dance Mukotsu had forced her body to do, "He forced my body to dance like this! Like I was some sort of sick toy!"

Trembling as she recalled the terrible memories she sat back down and pressed on, "T-T-T-then he was on top of me! I tried to scream- to move- anything! I managed to gain just enough of my strength to grab a pair of metal tongs that were in the fire pit and I stabbed him- that sick, sick man!"

Kagome pantomimed the motion of stabbing Mukotsu, the poison master, a look of feminine fury upon her face as she stabbed the air.

She saw that a few women had hopeful looks on their face, hoping against hope that Kagome had been able to escape her attacker thanks to her own efforts.

Her voice became quiet as she admitted, "But stabbing him did _nothing_…"

Kagome couldn't stop sobbing now so her neighbor put an arm around the girl letting her cry.

She was unable to mention that her best friend's brother had then saved her before he had gone any farther. She would forever hold a great deal of respect for the demon lord, even if he had only inadvertently saved her while looking for Inuyasha.

Several horrified gasps came from the other women as they let the poor girl's story sink in.

The girl was not from Konohagakure and was therefore oblivious to the connotations and cultural references she had unwittingly used in her tale.

In Konohagakure Peaches were traditionally given as a fertility token by husbands to their wives indicating subtly that he desired a child. And that young women hoping to become pregnant were often advised to bathe in water with peaches in it to help encourage a healthy pregnancy.

One woman ventured to ask the young woman now that she was calming down, "H-how old were you?"

Staring blankly Kagome thought on the question, it felt like a lifetime ago those two profound near-rapes had happened. In a jaded voice she answered, "I was only fifteen."

!~!~!~!~!/

Kagome walked with her ninja guard back to the hospital. Despite not being able to see the ninja's face she could feel the oppressive weight of eyes upon her.

"Kunoichi-san? Are you alright?" Kagome gave a serene smile to the other woman, feeling much better now that she had gotten a much-needed cry.

"…How can you still smile? After what happened to you?"

She contemplated her answer for a moment before replying, "I think its because I have such great friends. I'd be lost without them, my best friend especially. I'm sure I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him."

"And Shippo-chan?" the woman asked softly. She was curious to see how the woman felt about the child who could only be the product of the tale she'd just heard.

Thinking of the young fox brought a grand smile to her face, "Shippo too. He gives me something even more precious to protect. I wouldn't be much good to him if I wallowed in everything bad that's ever happened to me, now would I?"

Once again the other 'Shippo' never crossed her mind- not when she was so caught up in remembering the start of her journey in the feudal era.

The shinobi could only stare in awed silence at the incredibly strong young woman before her.

~!~!~!~!~!

"…" Lady Tsunade was silent as she read the results of the DNA test. It was positive for Uchiha genetic markers, proving without a doubt that the boy was an Uchiha. He even shared a few unknown genetic markers with his mother that might be worth looking in to.

Tsunade sighed as she contemplated what to do with the woman and her child. They couldn't keep staying in the hospital indefinitely…

She eyed the tape recorder that had been hidden on the female Anbu escort's body when Kagome-san had gone to the Rape Support meetings- she needed to find the time to listen to the newest tape. But the sanin was already quite behind in her paperwork and so left the tape recorder be for the moment.

A knock sounded at her door she prepared to give a very important S-classed mission. Shikamaru, Asuma, Kotetsu, and Izumo stood before their Hokage.

Tsunade began, "There has been an incident at the Fire Temple…"

**If you are thinking 'WTF?! How the crap is Sasuke suddenly Kag's kid?' I will explain now. Back in the fist ch when Kagome repelled Kabuto with her powers she was holding Sasuke, remember? **

**Her powers inadvertently purified Orochimaru's curse mark. I've always speculated that the mark does something to the bearer's DNA in order for the person to be able to transform, kinda like how a virus will implant it's DNA into a host cell. Kagome's powers destroyed the modified curse mark DNA and supplemented some of her own to serve as a scaffold until Sasuke's body can repair the fragmented DNA. Thus making it seem as though he is her child due to the supplemented DNA.**

**When I watched/read Inuyasha those two instances screamed rape to me. Seriously go read the manga chapters and watch the anime episodes.**

**Lol I figured that Konohagakure would have plant related old-wives tales (leaf= tree= fruit) and peaches do have a fertility connotation in some Asian lore. So voila: peaches symbolize pregnancy in Konohagakure!**

… **I think I may have just flushed Itachi's reputation down the toilet. Granted it wasn't stellar before, but now… yikes…**

**I won't say all of the assumptions I hinted at in this chap, but I'm curious if you noticed them!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto.**

_Last time: Tsunade began, "There has been an incident at the Fire Temple." The monk Bansai had come to Konoha after his temple was attacked to report the Akatsuki to the Hokage. After giving his report the monk was escorted to the hospital to ensure his health._

Sasuke snuggled against his mother's bosom as she read a picture book about a brave little grasshopper.

He could barely keep his eyes open as she spoke in her lovely soft voice, reading the story _just _right. Sticking his fingers in his mouth he simply relished the feeling of being safe and loved. Her lap was so soft and warm- he wanted to remain like this forever!

~!~!

Surely his eyes deceived him! The fire temple monk Bansai froze in front of the open hospital door staring at the young woman reading a children's book to a small child nestled in her arms. The young woman bore a striking resemblance to a mural that had been painted on one of the temple's walls.

The wall mural had illustrated the scene one of the temple monks had seen in a vision long ago. A holy woman who had sacrificed herself to contain an army of hell's worst demons within a small pink sphere.

Normally he would have brushed off the fact that a young woman happened to look like a holy figure, but he found that he could not. This young woman radiated a strange energy that held the essence of purity unlike anything he had ever seen.

Surely this was a sign from the Gods!

His mind made up, Bansai entered the room despite the shinobi presence he could sense.

Kagome looked up from the picture book, confused by the sudden intrusion. She had never had a visitor that was not a member of the hospital staff before.

"Please, help me." The aged man held out his withered hand to the young holy maiden. She merely gave a serene smile as she took the offered hand. Surely this holy maiden could help gain vengeance on behalf of the Fire Temple!

Swiftly the aged monk went through a series of hand signals summoning a large eagle just outside the hospital window. Kagome wasn't sure what was happening but certainly knew better than to question the sudden escape.

"Higurashi-san! Shippo-chan, no!" a nurse cried out as the woman began placing weight on the foot propped up on the windowsill, prepared to pull her body up onto the ledge so that she could join the old monk on this unexpected bid for freedom. Just as she took the monk's hand so that he could heft her onto the eagle the little toddler she'd been holding was grabbed from her.

The child screamed as he was torn from his 'mother's arms by a quick thinking orderly. The monk could only frown when the woman's child was left behind. It was best that a toddler didn't accompany them to face the Akatsuki.

The medical staff could only watch in horror as their patient was stolen away by a monk riding a giant eagle summon.

"Inform Tsunade-sama!" The nurse cried out to the ANBU operative who materialized the moment Kagome had exited the room.

Kagome smiled as the wind tossed her hair about wildly, not caring that all she was wearing was a thin cotton hospital gown, simply happy to be free of that dreadful hospital and town. Turning to the monk who had liberated her from the hospital she told him, "I need a bow and some arrows…" She didn't care what this monk wanted her for- she'd even battle a daiyoukai if it meant being free of that awful place!

Bansai nodded at her as he respectfully held the back of the woman's large gown closed.

! ! !'**Tsunade's office**

Tsunade sat herself down after several hours of paperwork. She'd sent Asuma and a team to deal with the Akatsuki threat of Hidan and Kakuzu. The monk who had delivered the message was escorted to the hospital. All seemed to be right in her little world for the time being.

Her eyes caught sight of the tape recorder that had been buried under a stack of papers. Grumbling to herself she decided to play the tape. She poured herself some sake as she listened. In an instant all the blood had drained from her face, had she truly heard that? Swiftly she replayed the past few seconds. Her face slackened in shock. Taking a large swig of sake Tsunade called one of the ANBU to her, "Fetch Higurashi Kagome at once and bring her-"

"Tsunade-sama!" The ANBU Cat leapt into the room, "Higurashi-san has been abducted by the Fire Temple monk Bansai!"

"**What?!**" the Hokage roared, this was not good. Not if what she'd heard on the tape were true.

"The boy? Where is the boy!" Tsunade demanded, wanting to at least keep ahold of the Uchiha child.

Cat bowed to her leader, "Shippo-chan remains in the hospital, Milady."

"Good, I want a team of Anbu watching the child- do not let him out of your sights for even a second!" Tsunade decided as she considered her next options mainly retrieving Higurashi.

!~!~!~!

Sasuke pouted at the people in masks, not forgetting the mean Mr. Owl in the corner who'd kept him from having fun at the hospital. He wanted Okaa-san!

~!~!~!

Asuma cringed as the Akatsuki member Hidan impaled himself with his own scythe. Normally he couldn't care less about an enemy shinobi performing a suicidal move. But he wasn't usually attached to his enemy when they performed such moves.

He felt a phantom blade pierce his organs and began to cough up blood. Morbidly he watched as the earth ran red beneath his feet.

In the back of his mind he went over all the things he'd never get to do in his life.

He would give anything to see his lover once more; he'd even give up smoking if it meant seeing Kurenai one last time. He regretted not finding the courage to propose to her.

Instead he had kept putting it off: 'I'll go looking for an engagement ring next week', he had told himself. Only he never did. Instead he'd take on extra missions or hang out with his squad, always telling himself he'd find the ring tomorrow.

Asuma brought his mind back to his grim reality: there would be no tomorrow for him.

The man opened his eyes as he felt the weight of the world come crashing down upon his shoulders. This was the end.

Shikamaru gasped in horror as a beam of bright pink chakra soared towards the jashinist, Asuma was about to be killed!

The arrow struck true, striking the Jashinist in the center of his chest. Pink energy seemed to radiate out from the arrowhead until the glow engulfed the man.

Hidan gave an inhuman scream as his body began to disintegrate into dust. The Konoha shinobi could only look on with transfixed eyes at the sight before them.

All that remained was the scythe and a necklace with a circle containing an inverted triangle.

Kotetsu and Izumo turned to see where the arrow had come from only to see a young woman dressed in nothing but a hospital gown standing next to a Fire Temple monk. Back-up? But the two men could not see any hitaie upon the woman's brow.

The young woman seemed utterly unfazed by her utter incineration of the enemy.

Kagome could still feel the dark aura as she looked at the two items, she may have just destroyed the man's physical body but something told her he wasn't down for the count just yet.

She was suddenly reminded of one of the first enemies she had fought with Inuyasha: _Yura of the hair_. The oni who had sealed it's own soul into a little jade comb.

She hadn't thought that a human could perform such magic… Curious she made her way to where the items lay.

"No! Milady!" Bansai called out as the weapon lurched on its own.

The giant three bladed scythe swung itself savagely at Kagome as she neared the blood-drawn symbol. Only to come to a crackling halt as it was caught in the glimmering pink barrier now encircling the young woman.

"That wasn't very nice…" Kagome muttered from where she had fallen out of surprise that the weapon could move on its own. She was still a bit out of it but she could think a bit clearer now she realized as she brushed off some dust from her hands.

Why in the world had the blades turned to natural silver? Shaking her head Kagome pulled herself off the ground and checked to make sure the hospital gown was still secure. Satisfied that she wouldn't be flashing the world the miko continued over to the cult-like necklace.

A paralyzing wave of killer intent pulsed from the necklace in an attempt to stop her from touching it but the miko was unfazed and unaware of the energy.

The second her delicate hand touched the medallion the intent vanished.

The dull dark metal now sparkled brightly in the sun's rays as she raised it up to look at it.

"You truly are the pure holy woman of the wall mural incarnated in human flesh! Please my Holiest, take on this unworthy sinner as your loyal disciple!" The Bansai was on his knees bowing to the confused woman.

"You don't have to do that… Just buy me some clothes and help me find my way home, and we'll call it even…"

"So humble!" the monk praised the woman. Without warning the monk launched himself at Kagome tackling her to the ground just as a shuriken struck where she had stood not even moments before.

"Foolish boy! You dare strike at Her Holiness?!" Bansai glared at the young leaf shinobi who had dared to throw a weapon at the woman.

Shikamaru shook his head in rage, "Asuma-sensei! You killed him!"

"No she didn't, Shikamaru…" a stunned voice came from the crumpled form.

"Don't move! Just wait till reinforcements arrive! There will be a medic, Asuma, don't move!" Kotetsu pleaded as the man rose to his feet.

Asuma could only stare mutely at his savior- the woman who had saved his life. Because of this woman he would have a tomorrow.

#%$

"You dare disgrace Her Holiness by forcing her to wear such pitiful excuse for clothing?!" Bansai scolded the Anbu on duty shaking a fist at the man. The anbu had the decency to at least give a little shrug.

The monk scowled at the Anbu who had come to retrieve the young woman.

"Please Milady place these garments upon thou person as they are fit for one of your stature." The monk bowed before handing the young woman a simple navy yukata. He'd gotten the outfit in the same small village he'd gotten the bow and arrows.

Kagome didn't dare complain as she eagerly took the clothes, anything was better than the hospital gown or the horrid baggy gray sweats she was required to wear when she was taken to the rape support group.

She never noticed the little white snake spying on her from the treeline as she changed behind a tree.

** $# Tsunade's office**

Tsunade couldn't believe the far-fetched mission report that had been turned in to her a few hours ago. Taking yet another swig of one of her stronger bottles of sake she looked over the report for the fourth time.

The alcohol did nothing to make the report easier to comprehend. Sure she had read some downright strange reports before (including the one her teammate Jariaya had submitted on the Omnbu creatures that he had allegedly wrestled when he was a genin), but this was something else.

To think that a well-respected retired monk would abduct a young, sedated woman from a hospital simply because she _looked _similar to a mythical woman depicted in an old wall mural was beyond believable. But even more incredible was the fact that Higurashi-san had single-handedly vanquished a dangerous S-ranked member of the Akatsuki!

Something didn't add up, how was it possible for a tiny, weak, _civilian_ woman to kill an _immortal_ Akatsuki member?

With _only one_ single cheap _wooden arrow_?

The labs had tested the arrow for a hint of a ninjutsu. But there was nothing, absolutely no hint of _anything!_

Even more astounding was the fact that Asuma had been connected to the man by a voodoo-like technique that transferred pain and wounds.

Instead of being dissolved into powder like the immortal had, Asuma had been healed. To a degree that was impossible even by expert medic nins. The man had smoked like a chimney for a good portion of his life and yet his lungs were squeaky clean.

She was beginning to see why Itachi might have selected this woman. Not only to bear his child, but to become his wife.

Perhaps it was time she paid a personal visit to this woman.

"Shizune, have Higurashi Kagome brought before me."

~!~!~!~!~!~

Tsunade stared at the young woman and could tell that there was something about the girl that seemed almost indescribable. This young woman had power, but not in the traditional sense.

The Bride of Uchiha Itachi and Mother of the newest Uchiha: Uchiha Shippo stood before her with a wary look upon her face. She was garbed in clothes that suited an Uchiha: navy.

"How is it that the Bride of Uchiha Itachi stands before me in my village?" The Hokage asked the rhetorical question.

"My name is Higurashi. I don't know any Uchiha." Kagome spoke evenly, hoping that she could plead her case to this woman. The apparent leader of this village. She'd been expecting an old man not a busty babe woman.

"Look Lady, I've had it up to here with how I've been treated." Kagome hissed, "If you come near me with any more of that sedative I will loose it."

"Now I'm going to explain myself only once and then I expect you to let me go. My name is Kagome Higurashi and I am not from this world. I am greatly needed in my own world and must return."

Tsunade looked utterly unimpressed at the girl's ridiculous claim, "If you are not from this world where are you from?"

"I'm from a city called Tokyo." Kagome allowed, feeling that this woman didn't believe her in the slightest, "I travel with a group of friends so that I can put a powerful sacred jewel back together again."

The Hokage sighed, this woman clearly believed every word she'd said. It seemed that Ibiki's initial assessment of the woman might be under a very powerful genjutsu was accurate. And Itachi was a genius when it came to genjutsu.

"If that is true where are these friends and jewel? I have a map right here, why don't you point out Tokyo for me?" Tsunade egged the girl a bit, hoping the flaws of her story would become apparent enough for her to break the genjutsu on her own.

Kagome went pale- the jewel shards! She'd left them in her bag that was currently at the bottom of that pond! Calming herself she looked at the map hoping she'd somehow know where the pond she'd been at was located. Nothing looked remotely familiar to the poor miko.

After a minute of desperate searching she muttered, "I don't know."

"I thought so." The Hokage nodded to herself before asking, "Now then tell me where Uchiha Itachi is."

There was that name again! Who was this 'Uchiha' and why did he matter so much?!

"I've already said I don't know a man by that name!" She stated petulantly, utterly sick of being asked where this 'Uchiha' was.

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that you don't know where your husband is?" Tsunade spat at the girl.

A dumbfounded look crossed the young woman's face before rage settled in its place, "Husband?! I'm not married! I only came to this damn place to seek medical help for that child!"

"_That_ child? You mean your son, Shippo?" Tsunade probed.

Crossing her arms Kagome gave a glare, "I have no son!" Where were these people coming up with all of this bunk?

Tsunade scoffed at the girl's answer, she knew better- she'd done the DNA test herself.

"Just because you were raped doesn't mean that the past didn't happen. Your son exists as does your husband whether you want to acknowledge it or not. Uchiha Itach is still Head of the Uchiha clan and as such can perform marriage- informal setting or not." Tsunade gave an intimidating smile, "Or did you lie at your rape meeting?" the woman asked holding up the tape recorder.

"How did you! That was a private meeting!" Kagome was seeing red as the ninja woman didn't react. It stung even worse that this woman though she'd been raped.

"But if you say the boy isn't yours, well then the village would be more than willing to take him off your hands…" Tsunade gave the unspoken warning.

"If you touch so much as a single hair on that child's head…" Kagome threatened. The boy was not her son but these insane ninja seemed to be itching to get ahold of the boy. For nothing good she was sure.

"I won't give my son to you." The miko stated sure that if she acknowledged the child as hers she'd be able to protect him until she could escape, taking the boy with her.

Closing her eyes Tsunade conceded, "Very well, but you and your child are now political refugees of Konohagakre. We will provide housing for you but you will need to find some form of employment. Do not attempt to leave or you will be punished."

"You can't do that! I'm not staying here!" Kagome spoke viciously as her miko powers began to flare in response to her distress.

"I can and I just did, Uchiha-san." Tsunade spoke with utter finality. She began to make mental arrangements to have the girl see a genjutsu specialist to see what could be done.

That was the last straw, Kagome raised her hands that were visibly engulfed with her purifying powers. These people were affected by her abilities. Before she could so much as move, two men wearing animal masks held blades to her throat and Kagome could only bitterly release her power. She'd wait for the right opportunity.

These 'shinobi' wouldn't listen to her, that child was not hers! All she had come to do was to find the boy a good home and seek medical treatment. Not be 'graciously granted the status of political refugee'! It was more like unwilling prisoner!

Kagome made her way to where Bansai, her _follower_ waited for her.

It didn't comfort her to know that this elderly man had decided to devote himself to her. What could she possibly teach him?

"Okaa-san! I missed you! These meanies wouldn't play with me!" 'Shippo' cried out as he came to hug her legs. The two animal masked people who had watched her at the hospital, the owl and cat stood outside the Hokage's office.

Kneeling to the boy's level Kagome enveloped the boy in a hug, promising him, "I won't let anything bad happen to you."

The boy beamed at his mother's affection and promptly declared, "I love you Okaa-san!"

~!~!~!

"A woman in a hospital gown was the one to kill Hidan with a single arrow" Kakuzu announced in the hologram jutsu.

Kisame spoke up, "We are heading towards Konoha- we'll check it out Leader."

Pein nodded permitting Kisame and Itachi to investigate.

**She just can't get a break, can she? Even when she's telling the truth they won't believe her. Next chapter Kagome begins to explore Konoha and runs into a few of our ninja friends. Plus Sasuke acts like an adorable brat. **

**Basically one of the Fire Temple Monks meditated hard enough to transcend space and time and got a vision of Midoriko.**

**Not sure if this will be an Itachi/Kagome since I already have an Itachi/Kagome story in the works. But still please leave a review stating whom you'd like to see Kagome end up with along with a reason why she should end up with that person and I'll see what I can do. **


End file.
